Grunewald is separated from Spandau by the River Havel. Three-quarters of it is forest, located on the western side of the district. Winding hiking trails lead visitors into a conifer forest, rich with lakes and natural beauty. The Kurfuerstendamm stops here in front of the old hunting lodge of the Margraves of Brandenburg. It sits on the shores of Grunewaldsee, which has been built up with luxurious mansions belonging to the rich elite of Berlin.
The highest point in the city is Teufelsberg—the Devil’s Mountain. It has the distinctive feature of being installed with the radio-receiving domes of the NSA (National Security Agency). They are very conspicuous, visible from far above the trees. Military personnel are frequently sighted patrolling the area. Notably, Teufelsberg is a man-made mountain, built from the rubble of the destroyed city after WWII.
Grunewald is a nice neighbourhood with a low crime rate and relatively safe streets. The locals here have a hard time welcoming the presence of the NSA. The radomes are a constant reminder that they are being watched and only serves to fuel conspiracy speculations and Cold War paranoia. The seclusion of the woods contribute to a low sense of awareness. Things abandoned here seem to disappear without a trace, reclaimed by the ancient forest.
Locations[]
Hundekehlesee[]
On clear days the waters of the lake acquire a pristine, mirror-like quality. The residents enjoy swimming, yachting, and other leisure activities on the lake. The lake shore is dotted with mansions and villas of the rich; the buildings range from mansions of 1920’s industrial barons to more modern constructions.
Rot-Weiss Tennis Club[]
- Athletics 1
- Socialize 2
The tennis club is named “Rot-Weiss” because of its red and white clay courts. There are sixteen courts in all, both indoors and outdoors, as well as various other facilities such as a gym and a restaurant. The people here see tennis as a social activity; they usually work up a sweat at the courts and relax at the sauna, before retiring to the clubhouse to sip champagne.
Grunewaldsee[]
Grunewaldsee is part of a chain of lakes, lying between Hundekehlesee and Schlachtensee and connected to both lakes by canals. This is one of the larger lakes of the chain, situated near Grunewald's border with Dahlem. Pine and conifer trees grow on near the shore. The lakefront is scattered with old buildings—usually businesses or private residences—built as early as the time of the Holy Roman Empire.
Jadgschloss Grunewald[]
- Occult 2
The Jadgschloss Grunewald is the hunting lodge built by the Margrave of Brandenburg, Elector Joachim II. Later, the building was renovated extensively during the 1700's and still bears many of the Baroque elements from the time. The main house and the corner buildings have tall, heavily inclined saddle roofs. A stair tower is slightly offset from the main entrance and covered with a green peaked dome. Chimneys and half-circle dormer windows adorn the sloping roofline.
The hunting lodge has been maintained until modern times and is now an art gallery and museum. The ground floor displays the extensive art collection of the Hohenzollerns which often feature hunting scenes and court life of the Prussian era. A hunting museum displays deer and elk trophies as well as wheel-lock firearms from the 16th to 18th century. The wings of the building are former stables built in the half-timber style.
The halls have the innocuous appearance of a modern art gallery. Paintings are hung on solid-coloured walls and evenly spaced from each other. The old timbered columns and ornamented ceiling can also be seen. Stone spiral staircases lead up to each floor; the stairwells seem to have very poor insulation and feel freezing cold no matter the season.
Paulsborn am Grunewaldsee[]
- Socialize 2
Paulsborn on the Grunewaldsee is a charming hotel and traditional restaurant, built in 1871 at the Paulsborn farmstead. It is a secluded location situated on the side of the forest with rooms featuring lake views. The building style is similar to the nearby Jadgschloss—high saddle roofs, white walls, and a small peaked green roof on the dormer window above the main entrance. Outside, the building is surrounded by its beer garden, which is illuminated at night with lanterns hanging among the trees.
The main hall is called the Gewoelbesaal—”Vault Hall”—because of its high cross-vaulted ceiling supported by stone columns. Elaborate chandeliers constructed from antlers hang from the ceiling. When night comes, the hall is lit up with dramatic lighting which projects the shapes of the antlers onto the curved, vaulted surfaces. The room has long tables where one can dine in the traditional style, and a bar against the far wall.
Fireplace Room
The Fireplace Room bring a warm, intimate atmosphere to socializing at the club. It is decked out like an aristocrat's hunting lodge, with deep reds and dark browns running throughout the décor. The traditional brick fireplace is burning merrily and well-stocked with wood. The two styles of chairs—red velvet and leather—complement each other and are laid out in clusters. Matching footstools and fur throw rugs add in the atmosphere of comfort and luxury. The floor is a rich dark wood laid over with a Persian rug. The wood panel wainscotting is two-thirds up the wall and fitted with a decorative wooden railing. Above the panels hang an assortment of portraits and hunting trophies. On the outer walls are huge arched windows that bring in natural light. The windows begin about two feet above the floor and end near the ceiling; the top arched half of the window is designed with diagonal muntins.
Grunewald Forest[]
- Survival 3
Conifer, birch, alder, hazel, and other plant species make up the trees of the Grunewald. This forest stretches over 3,000 hectares, taking up three-quarters of the Grunewald locality and the neighbouring localities of Dahlem, Nikolassee, and Zehlendorf. Grunewald lies east of the Havel, on a swampy land rich with lakes and ponds. A chain of lakes including the Hundekehlesee, Grunewaldsee, and Schlachtensee, is situated south-east of the forest. More lakes like the Perchsee and Barssee can be found deep within the forest.
The population of deer and wild boar had sustained the hunting pastimes of kings since time immemorial. Dirt trails allow one to navigate to parts of the forest. Moonlight shines through the canopy; below the underbrush lies detritus—dead and decaying matter, the food of worms.
Teufelsberg[]
Deep within the forest lies the mountain, Teufelsberg. Its most distinctive feature is the giant radio-receiving domes of the NSA (National Security Agency). It is a listening station belonging to the United States—ostensibly used to listen to signals coming from the Eastern bloc. Military personnel are frequently sighted patrolling the area. Conspiracy theories abound as to the true purpose of the listening station and what lies beneath.
Teufelsberg rose out of the rubble of WWII. During the rebuilding of the city, debris was carried here by the truckload and deposited to make up the hill. These kinds of hills are called “Schuttberg” and are common all over Germany. Vegetation had reclaimed the mound and the site is now overgrown with trees. It is a hike up a gentle slope to reach the top of the hill; along the way the roads are worn with the tire tracks of military jeeps.
Field Station Berlin
- Communications 4
- Status: Intelligence
At the highest point in Berlin, the NSA built a listening post to intercept radio traffic coming in from the Eastern bloc. The site is heavily fortified and marked by four giant white radomes; one dome is raised on a tower while three others are scattered around the base. The base also has low-rising buildings that are operating facilities for the personnel. A fence surrounds the perimeter and guard booths control the entrance.